Automatic mail catcher and deliverer.



H. 0. KUHLMAN.

AUTOMATIC MAIL GATOHER AND DELIVERER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22,1911.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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n .wn & 9m R u H m0 n a m v! W (W154 QM Hi5 finorngy H. G. KUHLMAN.

AUTOMATIC MAIL GATCHER AND DELIVBRBR.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 22, 1911.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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,fiwenwl i/frman ltuizzman 7/15 lqilorney COLUMBIA PLANuonAPn c0.,WASHINGTON. n. c.

H. G. KUHLMAN. AUTOMATIC MAIL CATOHER AND DELIVERBR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1911.

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H. C. KUHLMAN.

AUTOMATIC MAIL CATGHER AND DBLIVERER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22,1911v Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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Hus Attorney UNITE PATENT @iiiih ftijlll.

HERIZIAN C. KUI-ILILZAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIG-NOR 01] ONE JTHIRD TOFREDRICK KE-S'INER AND ONE-THIRD TO MARTIN CALLAHAN, BGTI-I 0FCLEVELAND, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC MAIL GATOH'ER AND DELIVERER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ntcnl ed tiept. 2;, 15912-5.

Application filed July 22, 1911. Serial No. 639,988.

1 0 all when? '1' i may concern Be it known that I, I'IERMAN (J. limin-MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in thecounty of (luyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Imprm ements in Automatic Mail Catchers and Deliverers; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mechanisms for delivering mail pouches andpackages both :trom and to a moving car; said delivery bein accomplishedin a safe and positive manner to and .t'roin the car without liabilityto injure either the mail matter or any person or persons employed incom'iection lhcrewith.

The object of this invention is to provide a mechanisn'i embodied withina mail car operated therefrom hence being under the control of the mailagents in the car, for the purpose oi setting the mechanism for thedelivery of any mail matter to a station along the way and to collectany mail mattor for transit from said station or stations, the entiremechanism being, under the control of the mail car employees or in otherwords the postal employees.

A still further object of this invention is to obviate any dangerousconditions and to attain simplicity and ease of operation and notnecessitating a knowledge ot mechanics for setting or operating themechanism.

Still another object of this invention is the providing for the positiveand safe delivery oi the mail to and, from the car or to and from thestation regardless of the speed of the train while passing the station.

With the above and other objects in view my invention consists in theparts and combination of parts all of which will be hereinat'ter fullyset forth and claimed.

in the drawings, Figure I, is perspective view of my device. Fig. II, isa cross sectional view taken through a air and its do livcring mechanismand also through the station delivering device showing in part some otthe setting mechanism. This view shows the device delivering the mail tothe station from the car in operation and at the same time the mechanismset for the delivering of the mail from the station to the ca r. Fig.III, is a longitudinal vertical se tion taken through that portion ot acar contiguous to the door illustrating a system oi cables or chains andthe manner of setting the apparatus by means of the guard or shield. l'ig. :lV, is a plan view looking at the bottom ol the car with someparts removed showing more clearly certain parts oil? the sell ingmechanism not clearly brought out in either of the other figures. Figs.V, Vi, VII, Fill, and TX, are detached views showing enlarged detailsoil construction oi the setting mechanism.

.ln the drawings ,T have illustrated a systcm of setting device and thedetails oi construction as I consider them best adapted for performingtheir diilercnt functions while at the same time attaining economy incorn struetion. but I do not wish to be limited or confined to the sameinasmuch as they may be altered or modified according to conditions orrequirements.

To the drawings, 1. represents a car, usually a properly fitted mail carwhich may have either swinging or sliding doors, (I have illustratedswinging doors).

2 represents a trough shaped chute atlached one at either side of thecar it neccs' sary. this chute or delivery device 2 is accessible fromthe inside oi the car through a trap door 3 opening upward from thefloor ot the car through which the mail pouch or matter is introduced.it horizontally swinging and vertically hinged door t is provided forclosing the delivery mouth oil the chute and kept in locked and closedposition by means oi swinging latches 5--. which engage keepers (3attached to the door 1- at either side oi. the same and it is by therelease oi these latches 5---5 and positively operated arms 7 (see Figs.Ti and IV) that the door t is opened. The arms 7- 7 are in turn securedto cables or chains S-S which pass over sheaves 8-8 and from them topivoted levers The pivoted levers 9---$l having at their ends verticallyhinged engaging arms $l'---S (see more clearly Fig. Vll') these arms9--9-- are projected through a medium oi a crank lever it) operated bychain or cable 10 thus one of the arms 9 being made to project out wardilirom the car and comes in contact with a projection 9 (see Figs. I andIt) attached to the station delivering mechanism which throws the lever9 in 11Cl1 a direction as to force the door 1- open allowing the mailmatter to slip from the chute 2 into a trough 2 located along the lineof the track and in juxtaposition to the passing mouth of the chute 2.This trough 2 retains the pouch or mail matter, keeps it from injury andfrom being thrown beneath the car and hence should be made of suchlength (see Fig. I) as to provide for this.

The above sets forth my preferred mecha-. nism and its operation fordelivery of the mail matter from the car to a by-station without thestoppage of the train and regardless of the speed of travel. Itssimplicity is obvious.

Now taking up the mechanism whereby the mail is delivered to the carwhile the same is in motion it is described as follows: The aboyemechanism embodies a delivery device located on the station plat-formand in juxtaposition to the track and on either side of the said trackas found convenient or necessary. This mechanism comprises a swingingpost 11 mounted so as to be swung into or out of operative position andlocked in either positionby means of a bolt 11 and a lever 11 or somesuch device whereby the post 11 may be swung by means of a lever 11 intoeither position. The manner of mounting the post 11 is immaterialproviding it allows the apparatus to be shifted in operative orinoperative position and locked. Moiiinted on the upper end of the post11. is an. elongated head 12 formed with a recess 12 for the receptionof a piston or plunger 12 and its projection spring 18 which acts tokeep said plunger or piston projecting from the head and by means ofrods 14t-14 one on either side and attached to the back end of thepiston 12 as at 14: and to the lower end of pivoted arms 15-15 as at 15in turn attached to the projector 16 to keep said projector at rest (seeFig. I) in which position the mail matter or pouch is placed in saidprojector which is the normal condition or position of this mechanism.The forward end of the piston or plunger 12 may be provided with afriction roller17 which is adapted to be engaged by either of the twotrips or cams 1818, depending in which direction the train is traveling,either of which is projected from the car, (see Figs. I, II and IV)which is accomplished through the medium of sliding projectors 19-49,either of which may be set into operation and thus as the frictionroller 17 is engaged by a cam or tripper 18 the piston or plunger 12 isforced backward against the tension of the spring 13 carrying with itthe rods 1 l1-t, pivoted to the short end of the arms 1515, the long endof said arms having a greater throw and hence a greater speed throws theprojector 16 toward the door of the car which is open, and projects themail matter into the car against the shield or guard 20 which may beformed of heavy flexible matter such as duck or canvas and withsuitablesupporting frames, the same being hinged as at 20 so as to befolded up out of the way when not in use. This shield or guard 20 may besupported when in operative position by a guy rop 20 if oesired or foundnecessary, one of which may be placed at either side at the upper backcorners.

In case swinging doors are employed on the earl so construct them as toswing inwardly and provide suitable apparatus such as springs to tend toopen them and to hold them open, they being locked shut by means of aspring pressed bolt 21 (see Figs. II III and VIII) which engage theupper meeting edges of the doors thus when said bolt is raised anddisengaged from the doors the doors fly open in position to receive themail pouch from the projector.

In order to facilitate the setting of the different trips or cams 18 Ihave connected them severally with a series or system of cables orchains 10 which operates the arm 9 of the lever '9 and in which 21operates the spring pressed bolt 21 for unlocking the doors, cables orchains 22 which operate the trips or cams 1818 through the slidingprojectors 1919 and cables 23 which operate to release the latches '5(see Fig. III) all of which are operated through the lowering intoposition of the guard or shield 20. A hook 24 being provided at eitherside for engaging said guard or shield 20 thus when said guard or shieldis lowered the said cables or chains bring into action and set thedifferent apparatus according to the direction of the travel of thetrain.

In Fig. V, of the drawings I have illustrated in enlarged form thecatches 5-5 with cables 8S attached and connected to gether which lockthe door 1: of the chute 2. In Fig. VI, I have illustrated aconstruction of trip or cam 18 illustrating it with a short arm providedwith a spring 18 for return ing it to its normal position.

VII illustrates a construction of the trip lever 9 which operates toopen the door 4 and the manner of throwing out the hinged arm of thesame as is hereinabove set forth. In Figs. VIII and IX I have shown inelevation and top plan view the door bolt with cables attached foroperating the same.

From the above description taken in con nection with the drawings itwill. be seen that I have provided a simple, positive and safe apparatusfor the delivery of mail to or from a car while at the same timeproviding an apparatus which will operate perfectly at any rate of trainspeed and have also provided a mechanism which cannot be disturbedthrough the action of the weather or climate. It being understood ofcourse that the posts may be duplicated at either side of the car ortrack if found convenient or necessary.

I have set :torth and described what I have at the present time found tobe best adaptable to this invention but I do not wish to be limited tothe exact construction oit parts as they may be greatly modified withoutdeparting from this invention.

ivhat I claim is:

I. A mail pouch delivery apparatus comprising a stationary pouch supportmounted in juxtaposition to the line of way, and adapted to be set intooperation by the passing ot a car, in combination with a guard devicelocated within the car, said guard device being connected to themechanism for operating the device for delivering the mail to the carand the device for delivering the mail from the car.

2. A mail receiving and delivering device comprising the combination ofa sta tionary delivery support mounted in juxtaposition to the line oftravel of a passing car, means mounted on said passing car for settinginto operation the stationary delivery support with a receiving guardmounted in said passing car, said guard adapted when adjusted inposition to set into operative position the mechanism for delivering themail from the passing ear to the station.

3. A mail delivery apparatus comprising a stationary support, ahorizontal piston mounted in said support and being spring pressed, apivotally mounted, vertically swinging projector mounted on said supportand connected to said spring pressed piston, the whole being located injuxtaposition to the line of travel of a car to which mail is to bedelivered by said apparatus, in combination with means carried by saidcar for operating said apparatus, substantially as set forth.

It. A mail receiving and delivering device comprising the combination ofa stationary delivery support mounted in juxtaposition to the line oftravel of a passing car, a horizontally mounted plunger located in saidsupport, one end of said plunger being connected. to rods which in turnare connected to a swinging delivery arm, the opposite end ot saidplunger being adapted to come into contact with means on the passing car:tor operating said plunger.

A mail receiving and delivering device comprising a stationary deliverysupport mounted in juxtaposition to the line of travel. of a passingcar, a plunger mounted horizontally in said support, one end of saidplunger being connected to rods which in turn are connected to the lowerend oil? a pivotally mounted, vertically swinging delivery arm, theopposite end of said plunger adapted to come into contact with anopcrating mechanism located on the passing car, said plunger also beingspring pressed substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A mail delivery and receiving device ron'i 'n'ising a statimlarydelivery support located in juxtaposition to the line of travel of apassing car, a plunger mounted horizontally in said support one end ofsaid plunger being connected to rods which in turn are connected to thelower end of a pivotally mounted delivery arm, the opposite end ol saidplunger adapted to come into contact with an operating mechanism locatedon the passing car, the location of said plunger and operatingniechanisn'i be ing approximately level with the lioor of the :arsubstantially as and tor the purpose set forth.

7. A mail delivering and receiving device comprising the combination ota stationary delivery support located in juxtaposition to the line oftravel (It? a passing car, a horizontally mounted plunger mounted insaid support, said plunger adapted to operate a swinging delivery armwhen contact is made between it and an operating mechanism located onthe passing car, with a receiving guard located in the passing car, saidguard adapted to set into operative position all operative mechanismslocated on the passing car.

A. mail delivering and receiving device comprising a car, a receivingguard located within said car; means connected to said guard for placinginto operative position all operative mechanisms located on said car;said operative meclninisms comprising a reccptacle located beneath thecar body, said receptacle having a door leading from it to tl e interiorof the car and another door leading from it to the exterior of the car;trippers located on the outside oil? said car and adapted to come incontact with a plunger of a stationary delivery support 10- called injuxtaposition to the line of travel of said car; triggers adapted tocome into contact with a projecting portion of the stationary deliverysupport for releasing the outer door at said receptacle allsubstanlially as and tor the purpose set forth.

9. A mail delivering and receiving device com irising a car a receptaclelocated beneath the body oi. said ar said receptacle having a doorcommunicating with the interior of said car and another doorcommunicating with the exterior of said car, triggers mounted on saidcar with means coir necting said triggers with said outer door latch,said triggers adapted to come into contact with a projection locatml onthe sta tionary delivery support located in juxtaposition to the line oftravel oil said car, said support having a horizontally sliding plungermounted therein, one end of said plunger connected to rods Which in turnare connected to the lower end of a vertically swinging pivotallymounted delivery arm the other end of said plunger adapted to comeinto'contaot with an operating tripper located on said car, a receivingguard located Within said car, said guard, when placed into position,adapted to bring all operative parts and mechanisms into 0p- July 1911.V

HERMAN C. KUHLMAN. Witnesses JOHN J. -DONNELLY7 FRANK C. GREGG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, .D. U.

